My love of colour….

Since coming home, I’ve been working on a housewarming gift for friends of my eldest daughter. They had a baby girl in May, and I’d made a quilt for little miss A, as well as some coasters for her folks. They were so appreciative of those gifts, asking if I had time, might I make some placemats. All someone has to do is ask, and I’m on the job!

Quite a collection, with unfinished Christmas coasters in the upper corners, lol.

Sewing quilts is part of my joy, but smaller items are just as favourable. Also easier, ha ha, with a quicker sense of satisfaction, unlike comforters or say behemoth novels, ahem. Sewing provides tangible results for my efforts, treasures for others, and a way to indulge in my attraction for colour. Be it embroidery floss or fabrics, I’m a colour junkie!

A couple of days ago I finished up the last mug rug, which incidentally I’m keeping; I’ve made it a habit to scrap together mug rugs from various projects and lately they have come in handy, as when my grandson surreptitiously hides them, lol. One disappeared during his last visit, so this abuela needed a replacement (or two). Last night I cut fabric for binding strips, allowing enough extra for the coasters. Those I’ll bind with scraps, but for the placemats themselves, I’ll use a solid colour for each. (I used six main solids within the placemats, so each mat will have its own hue.) This morning, as I worked on revisions, I glanced over at those strips, then felt compelled to take a picture of them.

I don’t know the exact name of the Kona blue and plum, but the rest are from left; Konas tangerine, lemon, persimmon, and ice peach.

I’ll sew them later today amid some tennis matches; the US Open is in full swing, and it’s fun to see what the players choose to wear in this tournament compared to Wimbledon, which requires tennis whites.

The shades I chose for these placemats weren’t based upon what went into the baby quilt from earlier this year. These hues are firmly summer-themed, with some prints from a bundle that has lent itself to other placemats, and hopefully a quilt for my nephew. For the backing, I’m going to incorporate a fat quarter from the bundle that otherwise I just can’t imagine using within a quilt top.

This came in a bundle called Boys Go Camping. I truly can’t fathom how else to use it!

I’ve cut it into sixths, and will piece it together with larger scraps. I do like me some colour, but psychedelic forest animals are too much for me.

I am considering hand-quilting these; I hand-quilted the baby blanket, but not the accompanying mug rugs. We’ll see what mood I’m in when I reach that point. Whipping out the quilting on the sewing machine does have its advantages. I have some bright orange machine quilting thread, yellow too, which would add to the vibrancy. For now, it’s enough to contemplate those crazy deer, and moose too, my goodness.

As for my coasters, I’ll back them with whatever I find in the general scrap stash. One will go by my husband’s recliner, the other into the kitchen circulation. They are visible reminders of previous projects, keepsakes if you will. Most of what I makes goes to others, but it’s nice to have a little something hearkening back to fave fabrics. I can’t keep everything, but little mug rugs fit perfectly. And with toddling grandkids afoot, one can never have too many coasters!